Creating and Cultivating Presence in Practice and Performance.

Here are a few ideas on creating and cultivating Presence in your life, practice and performances. 
Also, last night I was reading a wonderful book, Life is a Verb by Patti Digh, her blog is, http://www.37days.typepad.com/. On pages 46- 48 she talks about presence and how we hold presence for each other and receive presence from another. It is so beautiful, the book and these pages on Presence... 

Enjoy,

Jennifer

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Marianne Williamson

What is Presence ? And how are you accepting and holding Presence for another?

. •Light- There is light in someone who has presence and in a sound that has presence. It is visible and expressive, alive, alight, luminous. Kinds of Light: candlelight, moonlight, twilight, sunlight, spotlight..

•Expansive - It defies the limits of body and space. It is multi dimensional, whole, unified, it is eternal...

• Intensity - Passion, purpose, power, desire, direction, drama, strength, commitment, expression, focus, determination and interest...

• Enchanting - Inviting, magical, imaginative, wishing, hoping, fearing, visionary, dreamy, singing...

 • Attracting - Compelling, has character, wit, dynamic, intelligence, sweet, loving, kind, beautiful, funny, connecting, magnetic, seductive, energized, vibrant...

 • Alert - Presence is present, aware, awake, attentive, alive, alight, encompassing, inclusive, cultivating...

• Authentic - Being yourself, knowing yourself, real, natural, unique, original, one of a kind, special...

•Permeable - Open, vulnerable, porous, empathetic, feeling, compassionate, connected...

Permeable

Listen: to NPR Series 50 Great Voices

Giving Concerts

I had a student write to me about where to give a recital. There are so many wonderful places to share our music. I hope that we all continue to encourage our students and ourselves to go out and share live classical music with a variety of people in a variety of venues. 
Many years ago I wrote an article entitled Dreams Goals Book and in it is a section about finding places to give concerts/recitals. Here is a part of that article. 
Enjoy and let me know where you will be playing.
~Jennifer

CONCERTS TO GIVE

Find out when your Band and Orchestra Concerts are for the year.

Find out when your Recitals 

will be for school, 

private lessons, etc.

Mark these in your Calendar.

Figure out the time lines for 

Your Concerts/ Recitals.

How long will it take to learn 

the music?

Where is the Concert?

Keep your programs of 

concerts you have gone  to and given.

How many rehearsals do 

you need to Schedule?

With:

Your Private Teacher Pianist Chamber Music Coach Ensemble Members

Where are you rehearsing? In the Concert/ Recital Hall/

School etc.

Are you recording it?

What do you need to do to 

have it recorded?

Figure out these schedules, 

mark it in your calendar.

SHARING YOUR MUSIC

IDEAS AND PLACES:

Schools

Day Care Centers

Libraries

Assisted Care/ Nursing Homes

Hospitals

Coffee Houses

Churches

Private Homes

Concert Halls

Other Organizations

Get the names, emails, websites 

and numbers

Make up a template to keep 

track of these things.

Place, name and street address, directions. 

Contact Information 

person, phone and email

Date of performance

Who is performing? Group name, emails and phone numbers

Program

For yourself, the ensemble. Are you speaking the program or do you need to

make copies of the program or give it to the contact person to make copies?

Program and program notes By what date?

 Keep these in your Book.

Keeney Studio Notes - Weeks 3 & 4

IDEAS: to think about... "What can I let go of?....." Not giving the body another thing to do, but to let go of and free your self back into the natural way the body moves freely and dynamically. Also, perhaps a better word than straighten for the spine is to allow for lengthening and sequencing. Again, this is the natural movement of the spine. It lengthens and gathers, like the  gathering and lengthening breath I taught you :-)... Yes, how we shape our breath, body, mind and heart, is how we shape the music too. 

Mystery to Clarity...How Clear is your thinking, feeling, knowing about the music you are making? Whole Self, Tone  (breathing, voice, presence), Technique (all parts and patterns), Rhythm, Interpretation (knowledge and personal musical instincts), Ensemble, Listening...  

What do you need to do in your practice and musical life to give clarity and meaning to the music, to your playing and performing? Find ways of making the music come alive through thought, feeling, knowledge, dedication, discipline, discovery, delight, determination, desire, daring and play. This will give you the clarity you are looking for in expressing the music in an artistic and joyful way.

C’s - Care,  Consistent, Conviction, Clarity, Challenge, Choice, Connection, Comfort, Confidence, Concept, Creative, Charisma, Courage, Color, Commitment, Character, Change, Communicate...

Letters - Thank you for your beautiful letters about giving yourself an A...

Book - The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. Please continue to read be curious about and do the practices. 

Studio Class - See schedule for performers. 

*Add to schedule:  Change in Studio Telemann Recital is in Chapel on Oct. 11th.

Halloween Concert, Oct. 31 in 175. Ms. Gedigian’s Class on Nov. 21 5-7pm

Preparation & Performance - Lesson Notes sheets and focus points, p. 14-16. Use these for lessons each week in your 3 ring binder. Record parts of your practice!

Creative Practice Idea -  Please focus on these, p. 33 one inch and fermata technique...  and creating long lines,p.34

*Read Long Lines quote in Zander book, p. 116

Body - Read Alexander Pages in book, p.40 and practice directions and active rest.

Breathing - Finger Breath and Flow Master, p.41. Use directions for observation during your practice with these breathing toys :-).

Embouchure - Know your aperture!!! It is the “hands” that shape your air and mold the music. Be a sculptor of your air, an artist...

Tone Practice from: Creative Practice Ideas and Exercises - continue practice as in weeks 1&2 & Slow Movements of Bach Sonatas, Partita and Mozart Concerti - 1 a week

Technique Practice from: Creative Practice Ideas and Exercises - Continue practice as in Weeks 1&2

Etudes - as Assigned

Solos - As Assigned. 

Orchestral Excerpts & Band Music - as Assigned. Orchestral Excerpt Book by Jeanne Baxtresser is the required. 

The Art of Possibility- Zander

I have been reading along with my students this semester, The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. What a wonderful book full of inspiring stories, ideas, and real life practices to engage in life... in making music of life...  Thank you for writing this book! I highly recommend it! The Art of Possibility


The 12 practices are:
1. It's all Invented
2. Stepping into a Universe of Possibility
3. Giving an A
4. Being a Contribution
5. Leading from Any Chair
6. Rule Number 6
7. The Way Things Are
8. Giving Way to Passion
9. Lighting A Spark 
10. Being the Board
11. Creating Frameworks for Possibility
12. Telling the WE Story




Try them and see how your life changes and the lives around you... Let me know what it creates in your world. 

Here is a wonderful TED Talk by Ben Zander on Classical Music and Passion... Also full of inspirational ideas of how alive and well classical music can be... and how we listen and what "impulse" is in phrasing... Thank you Ben!


Heartfully,
Jennifer

Focus Points week 1&2

Focus Points for Lessons - Creative Flutist Studio - Fall 2011

Weeks 1 & 2

Here are the ideas and conpets for the first 2 weeks of lessons this fall. Enjoy!

Rhythm in heart and fingers. Breath is moving and shaping the whole of the musical line. 

Breathe with the music in a meaningful way that is in time and connected to the music you are making. “Pour your whole self into your flute...”

C’s - Care,  Consistent, Conviction, Clarity, Challenge, Choice, Connection, Comfort, Confidence, Concept, Creative, Charisma, Courage, Color, Commitment, Character...

Syllabus - given out and needs to be read, followed and signed. 

Letters - Why I received an extraordinary grade of an A... “ ...  Due Sept 1&2 at your lessons.

Book - The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander 

Please be prepared to discuss a chapter a week in Studio Class and to write a 5 page (12 pt. font) paper discussing the Practices presented in this book and how you are using them and what kind of changes you have made practicing them this semester. Due: Dec. 1st, 2011

Studio Class - Schedule for performing has been given. Also, Flight of the Bumble Bee Part and Flute Choir parts for Sept. 8th Collage Concert.

Preparation & Performance - Lesson Notes sheets and focus points, p. 14-16. Use these and make copies for lesson each week in your 3 ring binder. 7 Levels of Learning, p.17 

Creative Practice Idea - Metronome Motivation & Precision and Flow, p. 30 . Circle of Observation and Add a Note, p.31.

Body - Meade’s Arms, p.41

Little Monkey p.40                                      Head “Floating” on top of spine.

Your Circle Sphere, Bubble - moving inside of it and being connected. Circle it p. 42

There is nothing like good use of your whole body for sounding authentically like you and having a great practice and performance. 

Breathing - Gathering and Lengthening Breath,                                                             Breath as a Bow (string player) and Breathing Bag, p.45

Embouchure - Not just outside facial muscles. What do you notice and can activate on the inside your cheeks for example? forward mvt.

“No teeth” - shape with lips... (no jaw, release jaw)

Tone Practice from: Creative Practice Ideas and Exercises - read p. 48-49 

1. Beautiful Notes or Tone & Tuner #1 or Tone & Tuner #2 - 1 a day

2. Interval Intimacy - 1 key a day all registers

3. 4 Styles of Vibrato - 1 set a day all registers

4. Limber Lips & Angle Air - 1 key a day all registers

5. Slow Movements of Bach Sonatas, Partita and Mozart Concerti - 1 a week

Technique Practice from: Creative Practice Ideas and Exercises - read p. 83-85

1. Finger Patterns  - 1/2. Whole, Maj. & Min. 3rds - 1 a day

2. Whole Range Scales - Major and Harmonic Minor 

3. T& G - use the 2 week Schedule, p. 85. Also for T&G #4 use p. 114  in my book. 

1. Gilbert Chromatics - p. 85

Etudes -  2 as Assigned

Solos - As Assigned. Whole class is giving a recital of Telemann, Fantasies. Read article by Rachel Brown I sent in a email regarding the Telemann Fantasies. Also, see Amy Porter’s DVD on the Telemann, Fantasies on reserve in the Library. 

Orchestral Excerpts & Band Music - as Assigned. Orchestral Excerpt Book by Jeanne Baxtresser is the required. 

All State Flute Etudes - Texas

It is that time of year again - All State Etudes are out!!! I enjoy teaching these Etudes as there is so much potential for the students to learn about music and grow as flutists, musicians and people. Because they are so challenging and the process of learning and performing them is so intense they have the opportunity for great growth. So for me the HOW of how they learn these is so important. Well, the HOW in how we learn in general is so meaningful and important to me as an educator and as a person who genuinely loves to learn and teach. So, each year I give a series of Master Classes using these Etudes as a means to learn about music, flute and the unity of Practice and Performance. The classes start in Austin, Texas the last week of July and continue to Houston, Texas the first week of August. I also give a class for the Houston Flute Club and at the University of Houston as well as for various other organizations in Texas. 


Below I will post a few of my hand outs on these Etudes.  If you would like to purchase a set of my practice parts please contact me. The cost is $15 and I will send you the pdf of them. 
All the best to the students learning the Etudes this year! 


~ Happy Practicing
 Jennifer

All State Etude #1

Caprice no.29 in F# Major by Karg-Elert

1. Capture the:

Tempo: e. = 108-126   - Work up your tempo slowly. Use Metronome Motivation Chart. Practice short chunks of music at high and turtle speed.

Mood:  With Velocity, Extremely Swift, Tingling, Sparkling. This is an Effervescent, Popping, Electric piece that is a little Mischievous too! Get into character and create this mood with the sounds you are making.  The unique sound of the key F# Major contributes greatly to the mood. Get to know and become great friends with this “yellow key” F# Major. 

Style: 2Oth Century with Late Romantic and Expressionistic Style.  Karg - Elert loved  J.S. Bach’s music and this influenced his style and composing. 

1. Shape the Dynamics : There are extreme dynamics from pp to F. Play what is written and also shape your Dynamic Design between written Dynamic Markings. Practice playing the pp in mf and f too to always create a great tone on each note. 

1. Color the Tone : In this Etude think of your tone color as central to the bright sunny yellow of F#. How you color your tone on the accents and slurs is essential. Use vibrato and vowel shapes to help you color and bring life and importance to special notes and high points in the your phrasing.

1. Mold the Articulation : This is key to making this piece coming to life. Remember that the staccato notes need to have a consistently great tone quality on every note. The beginning, middle and ending of every note matters even when it is short! Practice all slurred and when you tongue it make sure that at slower tempi you allow the notes to be full length. As you increase the tempo the notes will become shorter. Most people focus on the start of the note, which is important, but also consider how you are releasing each note too. Use your “Breath Builder, Flow Master” to create light moving fast air for your tongue to move through and articulate. 

1. Contour the Meter : This is in 6/16. It can be counted at first in 6 and then felt in a big 2. The notes are metrically displaced over the bar line which look sort of strange at first. However notice that the accents keep the sound of a more traditional meter. It is quirky and fun to play in this 6/16.

1. Drive the Rhythm : The rhythm of the 16th pulse is constant creating a constant foot on the gas pedal, yet the slurs show us the the scenery we need to enjoy the drive. Remember finding the heartbeat, pulse of any piece is essential and is the life blood of the music. Music exists in time. 

1. Express the Form: There are 5 basic Motives in this Caprice. You will see these revealed in each of the Practice Parts. Enjoy the great composing of Karg-Elert and how he so exquisitely composed this piece. Take apart the puzzle, discover and explore the parts and put them together again to see the  Motives and the form of this Caprice.  

1. Say rhythms out loud and over exaggerate the accents and articulations. Notice all the sharps and enter the land of F#Major.

2. Practice each part 3-7 times as directed in number 3. 

3. Practice very slowly with metronome on sixteenth note Subdivided 2 on each an unaccented sixteenth note. Leave accented notes single tongued so that you can really notice the accents. 

4. Use the 7 Levels of Learning, 25 Practice Ideas and your Metronome Motivation Charts. 

7 Ways to Create Long Lines

We were talking about this a lot in Master Class this week. Here are some of my thoughts on :

____________________ Creating Long Lines___________________

The journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step. ~ Lao Tzu

Where are you and the music taking us on this musical journey?

1. Intention = Know where you are going! 

2. Breath =  Flow. Using your Breath is the most important factor in creating a long musical, line. To create more flow between 2 notes, make a small crescendo as you move between them.

3. Dynamics = Create a gradual growth and fading. Make a colorful and shapely dynamic design.  Use numbers for guiding your dynamics. 1 = softest dynamic.                                                                                 The higher the number the greater the dynamic volume.

4. Rhythm =  The steady heartbeat of a musical line, with organic rhythmic movement, creates a flowing line.  No sudden changes of tempo and no rhythmic bumps in the note groupings.

5. Vibrato = As Mr. Kincaid said, “vibrato can be a direction indicator.” Listen to your vibrato and use it to give direction, color and movement to your musical line. Direction by varying the speed and width. Color by adding a shimmer of vibrato to special notes in the phrase. 

6. Smooth Finger Movement = Check to see that your fingers are moving as a mirror to your musical line.   Finger movement is: lyrical, legato, gliding, graceful, smooth, silky...

7. Balanced Body = Supported Sound =  ease of breathing and body and long musical lines.